Shampoo or soap for pets?

Discussion in Pets started by chiofthenorns • Sep 29, 2014.

  1. chiofthenorns

    chiofthenornsActive Member

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    I bath my cats every week because they spend much time outside every day. Sometimes, I use cat shampoo on them, other times, I use pet soap. I find soaps more cost-effective because they last for a long time. When you give your pets a bath, which do you prefer: shampoos or soaps? Which brand do you use or buy?
     
  2. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I only bathed my cat once, it was summertime and he vomited shortly because his body couldn't stand the cold temperature. I used human soap for that one. He smelled nice, but I did not bathe him again after that. I think human soaps and shampoos are better because they smell nicer on your pet. But for the other benefits, I guess pet soaps would be a better choice.
     
  3. mariee

    marieeActive Member

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    I rarely bathe my cats. They don't like to get wet, although some are easier to bathe than others. I used to use cat shampoo but after I ran out I started to use Dawn dish soap. You have to dilute it and use very little. They use that stuff to clean oil spilled animals so it's pretty safe. I bathe my cats every few months. To keep them clean in between baths I use wipes. At first I got pet wipes but those are so expensive and my vet said I could use unscented baby wipes.
     
  4. forextraspecialstuff

    forextraspecialstuffActive Member

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    My cats are rarely bathed and when they are the vet does it. We do bathe our dog about once a month, sometimes more often, and we always use a shampoo on her. Our dog has very dry skin so we use a shampoo on her that comes from the vet prior to using this shampoo I think we bought the shampoo we used on her at Whole Foods or somewhere else that sold all natural dog shampoos.
     
  5. insertkittyface

    insertkittyfaceActive Member

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    I think it really depends, if the pet has very dry or sensitive skin, it would probably be better to use a speciali*ed soap to bathe them. Since my dogs have neither, I use a dog shampoo, and it leaves them clean and smelling quite nice!
     
  6. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    I bath my dog with specific dog shampoo. I buy the ones that are more affordable, but I still make an effort to always use shampoo that is appropriate for dogs, preferably the ones without a heavy sent, which can cause allergies. I am always wary not to use stuff that smell strongly or that are not specific for dogs, as they can develop an allergy from the product.
     
  7. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I have never given my cats a bath in their life. None of them liked to get wet, and I didn't want to traumatize them. As for my dog, I used to wash him frequently with a mild pet soap from the health food store. I also used to wash him with a gentle children's shampoo from the supermarket, which he didn't mind at all. The vet said that it was fine to use it, so I stayed with it for a long time. It didn't irritate his skin or eyes at all, so it was safe to use.
     
  8. thomas pendrake

    thomas pendrakeActive Member

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    Over 50 years ago I learned that it is far wiser to allow your cat to take care of bathing in all but the most desperate of circumstances. My dog I bathe for flea problems The last time I bought a bottle of Hartz ultra guard plus. It's been over a month and she is still flea free, whereas I had been bathing her at least once a week. I have never had this much success with a flea shampoo before.
     
  9. rikka

    rikkaMember

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    I use a pet soap, the one for both cats and dogs. We bathed the cat only twice in his grown-up years because he tends to develop fever and won't eat for days after the bath. :( It is just so sad it makes me worried.

    I use the pet soap than a pet shampoo because it is inexpensive. Here in my country, the price for pet shampoo is, like, seven times more than the soap. It's ridiculous. Even though the soap is economical, it still was able to kill all the fleas that infested my cat. Just that, I don't know when I can bathe my cat again without him getting sick. :(
     
  10. nicole deffes

    nicole deffesNew Member

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    I sometimes use Dawn dish soap because they used it on the animals that were involved in the oil spill. If I run out of doggy shampoo, I will reach for the Dawn until I have time to go to the store and get more. I also heard that Dawn dish soap kills fleas which is always a bonus. I would never use any other kinds of dish soap unless I absolutely knew it was safe. Always do your research first.
     
  11. morgoodie

    morgoodieActive Member

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    I have never used pet soaps before. I have used my shampoo on them before when I had run out of dog shampoo. I also have heard that Dawn dish soap is good for killing fleas and it is safe for animals. I often wonder if there is a real difference between dog shampoo and our shampoo. I realize that ours depending on what it is for would probably not be the best but if it was just regular shampoo it shouldn't be much different.
     
  12. Corzhens

    CorzhensWell-Known Member

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    Today happens to be a holiday so I gave my 3 dogs their needed bath. I use shampoo and soap on them. Fresh n Clean is the brand of the shampoo that I first use followed by the Lori soap. The vet recommended the use of both shampoo and soap to eradicate dirt that hides in their coat and also to give them a little protection against fleas and ticks. I guess the combination is good because our dogs are heallthy when it comes to that.
     
  13. MichelleVL

    MichelleVLMember

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    I normally bathe my cat several times a month and for the most part I rather use shampoo than soap, it's just easier for me (my cat hates baths). Every so often I will bathe my cat with special flea shampoo, in order to protect her and protect the family. In regards to brands, I'm not very particular, I will simply purchase whichever brand is on special at the time. I've never seen any negative results so far, so that's good.
     
  14. obliviousme

    obliviousmeActive Member

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    I bath my dog with dog shampoo, back then i used to use my own shampoo on him so he smells of strawberry after. I honestly do still use it on him occasionally when i feel like it but typically, he has his own shampoo. I've never tried using soap though.